SB 1782 prohibits the governing boards of eight specific Oklahoma public higher education institutions (including the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, and community colleges) from creating new tenure systems for faculty hired after a certain date. The bill requires these institutions to electronically submit annual data on faculty numbers, tenure status, and graduate assistants to the Oklahoma State Regents by July 31 each year. The State Regents must then forward this data to state officials by September 1. This policy change directly affects faculty employment contracts and tenure eligibility at these institutions, with no new tenure plans permitted for hires after the effective date.
SB 2006 prohibits Oklahoma public universities from using state funds to provide scholarships, grants, tuition aid, or discounted tuition to foreign national students from countries designated as "countries of particular concern" by the U.S. Department of State. This applies starting with the 2026-2027 academic year and directly affects eligible international students from those specific countries. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education must create rules to implement the law, though private or non-state funding for such aid remains unaffected. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and is classified as an emergency measure.
This bill expands Oklahoma's School Security Revolving Fund to cover additional security measures and requires annual allocations for three fiscal years. It directly affects Oklahoma public schools and the State Department of Education, which manages the fund. Key provisions include removing previous spending limits, mandating yearly fund allocations (subject to available money), and specifying that funds must be used for school resource officers, physical security upgrades (like cameras, locks, and ballistic shelters), and mental health counseling services. The bill emphasizes these funds must supplement, not replace, existing school security funding.
This bill, titled "Mathematics instruction..." but actually amending the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, adjusts financial eligibility rules for students seeking higher education support. It raises income thresholds for program qualification (e.g., $80,000 annually for families with five+ children starting in 2025-2026) and adjusts age limits for participation (extending to age 18 for some applicants). Students must meet updated income requirements and comply with program terms like regular school attendance and avoiding substance abuse to maintain eligibility. The bill directly affects Oklahoma students in grades 5-11 seeking financial aid for post-secondary education through this state program.
SB 701 temporarily lifts 11 existing legal restrictions that limit which Oklahoma public colleges can offer specific courses or degree programs in Muskogee and Tulsa areas. It prohibits institutions like Northern Oklahoma College, Connors State College, and Northeastern State University from being restricted to only lower-division courses or specific locations for five academic years. The bill authorizes Oklahoma's State Regents for Higher Education to approve "functional exceptions" allowing institutions to expand course offerings beyond their usual mission to address unmet workforce needs. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting how community colleges and universities operate in these regions.
HB 1086 updates Oklahoma's school funding rules by redefining how school districts manage their general funds. It requires districts to place capital project funds (like those for building repairs) into a separate building fund instead of the general fund, and eliminates the practice of carrying over general fund money to future years. The bill restricts general fund use for capital projects to only cases where a building is destroyed by disaster (fire, flood, etc.) and other funding sources (insurance, state aid) are insufficient. This directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts in how they track and spend state and local education funds.
SB 796 prohibits Oklahoma public universities from using state funds, property, or resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs that grant preferential treatment based on race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. It bans mandatory DEI training, pronoun disclosure requirements, and diversity statements in hiring, while allowing programs supporting first-generation students, low-income students, or underserved groups without race-based preferences. Universities must review and potentially restructure non-compliant DEI initiatives by July 2025 and submit annual compliance certificates starting July 2026. The bill exempts accreditation requirements, academic freedom, student organizations, and data collection from its restrictions.
HB 1940 amends Oklahoma's charter school law to establish a new annual limit: the Statewide Charter School Board may sponsor no more than five new charter schools per year in counties with fewer than 500,000 residents. This directly affects the Statewide Charter School Board's authority and charter school expansion in smaller counties, while maintaining existing sponsorship rules for other areas. The rule applies to all new charter school applications approved after July 1, 2025, when the bill takes effect. The bill does not change sponsorship requirements for schools in larger counties or other sponsor types.
SB 758 limits when Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools can count virtual instruction toward required annual instructional hours (1,080 hours or 180 days). Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, schools generally cannot count days when school is closed with virtual instruction toward these requirements. The bill allows counting up to two days (or 12 hours) per year only if the Superintendent of Public Instruction approves the school's virtual instruction plan. This change directly affects how districts report instructional time and must comply with state guidelines for virtual learning.
SB 554 would require Oklahoma school districts to provide stipends (one-time payments) instead of regular salary increases to teachers holding specific certifications, such as out-of-state, international, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards credentials. The bill prohibits these stipends from being counted toward future salary calculations or raises. It amends existing teacher certification laws to clarify that compensation for these certified teachers must follow this stipend structure rather than standard salary progression. This change directly affects teachers with the specified certifications who currently qualify for salary-based increases under Oklahoma law.
